Technology for tracking physical layer information (among other information) relating to wired communication media, components, devices, systems, and/or networks is described in the following United States Patent Applications, all of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference: United States Patent Publication 2011/0115494 published on May 19, 2011, titled “ELECTRICAL PLUG FOR MANAGED CONNECTIVITY SYSTEMS”; United States Patent Publication 2011/0115494 published on May 19, 2011, titled “MANAGED ELECTRICAL CONNECTIVITY SYSTEMS”; United States Patent Publication No. 2011/0115494 published on May 19, 2011, titled “MANAGED ELECTRICAL CONNECTIVITY SYSTEMS”; United States Patent Publication No. 2011/0228473 published on Sep. 22, 2011, titled “COMMUNICATIONS BLADED PANEL SYSTEMS”; United States Patent Publication No. 2012/0133524 published on May 31, 2012, titled “COMMUNICATIONS BLADED PANEL SYSTEMS”; United States Patent Publication No. 2012/0113613 published on May 10, 2012, titled “COMMUNICATIONS BLADED PANEL SYSTEMS”; United States Patent Publication No. 2011/0267794 published on Nov. 3, 2011, titled “COMMUNICATIONS BLADED PANEL SYSTEMS”; United States Patent Publication No. 2011/0222819 published on Sep. 15, 2011, titled “Managed Fiber Connectivity Systems”; United States Patent Publication No. 2011/0255829 published on Oct. 20, 2011, titled “Managed Fiber Connectivity Systems”; United States Patent Publication No. 2011/0235979 published on Sep. 29, 2011, titled “Managed Fiber Connectivity Systems”; U.S. Pat. No. 8,690,593 Issued on Apr. 8, 2014; titled “Managed Fiber Connectivity Systems”; United States Publication No. 2012/0234778 published on Sep. 20, 2012, titled “CABLE MANAGEMENT IN RACK SYSTEMS”; United States Patent Publication No. 2011/0092100 published on Apr. 21, 2011, titled “MANAGED CONNECTIVITY IN ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS”; U.S. Pat. No. 8,596,882 Issued on Dec. 13, 2013, titled “MANAGED CONNECTIVITY IN FIBER OPTIC SYSTEMS”; United States Publication No. 2012/0246347 published on Sep. 27, 2012, titled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR UTILIZING VARIABLE LENGTH DATA FIELD STORAGE SCHEMES ON PHYSICAL COMMUNICATION MEDIA SEGMENTS”; United States Publication No. 2012/0246523 published on Sep. 27, 2012, titled “DYNAMICALLY DETECTING A DEFECTIVE CONNECTOR AT A PORT”; United States Publication No. 2012/0246362 published on Sep. 27, 2012, titled “DOUBLE-BUFFER INSERTION COUNT STORED IN A DEVICE ATTACHED TO A PHYSICAL LAYER MEDIUM”; and United States Publication No. 2012/0243554 published on Sep. 27, 2012, titled “EVENT-MONITORING IN A SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATICALLY OBTAINING AND MANAGING PHYSICAL LAYER INFORMATION USING A RELIABLE PACKET-BASED COMMUNICATION PROTOCOL”.
The technology described in the applications noted in the previous paragraph makes use of an EEPROM or other storage device that is integrated with a connector on a cable, fiber, or other segment of communication media. The storage device is used to store information about the connector or segment of communication media along with other information. The EEPROM or other storage device can be read after the associated connected is inserted into a corresponding jack or other port. In this way, information about wired communication media, devices, systems, and/or networks can be captured in an automated manner.
Another type of technology for tracking information about the physical layer of a wired network (along with other information) is so-called “ninth wire” technology. Ninth wire technology makes use of special cables that include an extra conductor or signal path (also referred to here as the “ninth wire” conductor or signal path) that is used for determining which port each end of the cables is inserted into. One example of ninth wire technology is the AMPTRAC family of connectivity management products that are commercially available from TE Connectivity Ltd. Also, examples of ninth wire technology are described in the following United States Patent Applications, all of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. No. 7,160,143, titled “SYSTEM FOR MONITORING CONNECTION PATTERN OF DATA PORTS”, U.S. Pat. No. 6,961,675, titled “SYSTEM FOR MONITORING CONNECTION PATTERN OF DATA PORTS”, U.S. Pat. No. 6,725,177, titled “SYSTEM FOR MONITORING CONNECTION PATTERN OF DATA PORTS”, U.S. Pat. No. 6,684,179, titled “SYSTEM FOR MONITORING CONNECTION PATTERN OF DATA PORTS”, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,574,586, titled “SYSTEM FOR MONITORING CONNECTION PATTERN OF DATA PORTS”.
Another type of technology for tracking information about the physical layer of a wired network (along with other information) makes use of RFID tags and readers. With this type of technology, an RFID tag is attached to or integrated with a connector on a cable, fiber, or other segment of communication media. The RFID tag is used to store information about the connector or segment of communication media along with other information. The RFID tag can be read after the associated connected is inserted into a corresponding jack or other port using a RFID reader. In this way, information about wired communication media, devices, systems, and/or networks can be captured in an automated and contactless manner. One example of such RFID technology is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,002,331, titled “METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IDENTIFYING AND TRACKING CONNECTIONS OF COMMUNICATION LINES”, which is incorporated herein by reference.